Matchmaking
by Amethyst Beloved
Summary: Two-shot. Tristan and Miles decide to play matchmaker for the diplomat's daughter when they learn that after all these years, Fiona still has a crush on Holly J. Takes place in the same universe as "Furry Friends". Triles and Folly J. For antinomian.
1. Chapter 1

Tristan looked outside the Hollingsworths' French doors and admired the picturesque image of the snow falling on the ground. Usually he would be sharing the view with his fiancé's arms wrapped around him, but it was hardly the time for that. It was the mayor's annual Christmas party and Miles was much too busy entertaining various guests. Tristan had to smile when he heard his lover's familiar deep laugh from across the room. After a couple years of family therapy, Miles was in a good place with his father. And even though that meant attending stuffy events targeted for businessmen and political figures, so be it. After all, he was going to have him all to himself next week when they host their first New Year's Eve party in their apartment for their friends.

He was just about to join Miles when a familiar head of dark curls caught his attention. She was wearing the latest design from a reputable fashion designer based in Rome, and he broke into a smile when he recognized who she was. Picking up two flutes of sparking water, he made his way to the young woman whose outfit definitely fit the scenery while her face couldn't hide her boredom.

"What's a pretty lady like yourself doing unescorted?" asked Tristan as he handed her a glass.

She looked at him suspiciously but accepted the drink.

"Sorry to burst your bubble but I'm–"

"Into girls. I know."

"That's some gay-dar you've got there."

"Nah, not really. We went to Degrassi together. But I don't blame you for not recognizing me."

She gave Tristan a hard look, but nothing clicked until he decided to give her a clue.

"Sigh! I don't even know how to find someone to have a crush on!"

Fiona took the time to study his grinning face and when it hit her, her eyes bulged out and she propelled herself forward to give him a hug.

"Button? Oh my gosh, Tristan! Look at you! You changed so much. Not quite the cute little kid that I went to Degrassi with. You look fantastic."

"Aww, thanks. So what brings you to this party?"

"My father received an invite to the mayor's soirée on account of his status as a diplomat. We were supposed to come together, actually. But at the last minute he was called away to New York. Not exactly how I expected my Christmas in Toronto to turn out."

"So why did you still come?"

"Oh, to scope out the mayor's eldest son."

"Really? What did you want to find out in particular?"

"Well, I never met him, but he went to the same boarding school that I did after I left. Stories about him were legendary. Did you hear about how he kissed fifty girls? After all this talk about this skirt-chaser I want to see where he ended up. My bet is he's wilder than Prince Harry but he's smart enough to keep himself out of the tabloids."

At this point Tristan was hiding a smile behind his hand. He didn't dare speak, fearing that his laughter would be uncontrollable if he let his guard down for a moment.

"Sorry, look at me babbling away about some mysterious playboy. He's probably romancing some naïve little thing as we speak. Tell me about you! Did you end up find your "zzt?"

Tristan beamed.

"Yes, I did actually. And it went down pretty much the same way you and Imogen predicted it."

"You mean that plan where you find someone with a common interest and then you become best friends? Lucky. I wished that it worked everytime for me."

"Oh? There was someone else after Imogen?"

"Try before. Oddly enough we both had my brother in common, and we did eventually become best friends. Never anything more, though."

"Why not?"

"Because she's straight?"

It was that precise moment that Miles came from behind to wrap his arms around Tristan while he dropped a kiss on his neck and squeezed him tightly.

"You shouldn't let something like that stop you from trying."

Fiona laughed and held out her hand.

"Hi, I'm Fiona. You must be Tristan's boyfriend."

"Fiancé, actually," he corrected while leaning forward to take her hand.

"Oh, congratulations!"

"Thanks," laughed Tristan. "This is Miles. Hollingsworth. The Third."

Fiona gave him a quizzical look and Tristan watched with amusement while he could practically see the wheels spinning in her head as she put two and two together.

"So," he continued nonchalantly. "Did you and your friend stay in touch?"

"No. The breakup with my brother drove her away. I have no idea what Holly J is up to now."

Tristan felt Miles perking up from behind him.

"How long are you in town for?", he asked.

"Oh, a couple more weeks. Why?"

"You should come to our New Year's Eve party next week."

"Sure, sounds like fun."

"I hope you don't mind cats. We've got five of them at home."

"I'm not allergic, but as long as you don't make me cat-sit, we're good."

She hugged the two boys goodbye and the moment she slipped out of sight Tristan promptly turned around.

"Spill, Hollingsworth. What exactly are you cooking up?"

A familiar gleam sparkled in Miles' eyes and a knowing smile twitched at the corners of his mouth.

"My dad just hired a new employee to run his youth division who's also a Degrassi alumni."

"So?"

"Her name is Holly J."

"No. You don't think it's the same…"

"Come on. Do you think anyone else who graduated from our school also goes by that name?"

"Okay, fine. But how are we going to get her to come too?"

"Just leave that part to me."


	2. Chapter 2

"Thanks a million, Holly J! I couldn't have pulled this off without you."

"Oh come on, Miles. A small house party to ring in the New Year hardly requires my skill sets."

"Still, I feel better with you around. The last time I threw a party I lost my ex-girlfriend over an ordeal that happened to my next girlfriend."

"Girl trouble, eh? Is that why you switched to guys?"

"Oh, I still love girls."

"But you're engaged to…"

"Bisexuality is indeed a thing that just doesn't go away."

With that remark, Holly J cast her eyes down to hide her blush. But she looked back up when she heard Miles' playful laugh.

"Don't worry, you're not the first person to jump to that conclusion."

"So, who else is coming tonight?" asked Holly J, itching to save herself from further embarrassment by changing the topic.

"Oh, the aforementioned ex-girlfriend with her boyfriend. The other ex-girlfriend with her girlfriend."

"Wait, hold up. You dated a lesbian?"

"Why all the labels? Love the person, not the gender. That's what I say. Oh! There's the buzzer. Let's get this party started!"

Holly J watched Miles reach out for Tristan's hand and lead him to the door where they greeted their first batch of guests. She was lost in thought about how much more diverse had Degrassi become since she graduated when she felt something soft and warm brushing against her feet.

"Well hi there, kitty!" she crooned while she bent down to pick up the white furry ball of fluff. "Look how pretty you are."

As she was petting the cat, she wondered if her romantic experiences would have been different if she dated members of the same sex or if her relentless drive to better herself as a person would effectively chase away the girls just as easily as it did the boys. Probably. Not many people were ready to accept the real her.

"Anya would be pleased to see how Degrassi's LGBT+ has expanded since our day where I only knew of four people by the time I graduated."

"Don't tell me that you've already reduced me to just one of those 'four people'."

Holly J whipped around at the familiar voice and she was speechless when she found herself face-to-face with her old high school friend.

"Fiona… you look great!" she said, bringing the girl in for a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"I was invited by the hosts. So I hear that you're working directly for the mayor?"

"Yes! The position was actually created for your old roommate, but he quickly handed the torch to me after getting back together with his fiancé."

"Good for Drew. So, what about you?"

"Oh, no wedding bells for me. I'm single."

"Me too. There were some babes in Italy, but I was never able to really find what I was looking for. You know, the kind of person who is your best friend and your lover?"

From across the room, Tristan and Miles were keeping watch over the two girls, trying to decipher whether or not things were working in Fiona's favour. As the night went on, they noted that she seemed to be making progress by engaging Holly J in an intimate conversation, but every time she would try to push it forward, something would get in the way. From Fiona trying to place her hand over Holly J's but being interrupted by someone offering them a drink to gathering the courage to ask her to dance only to have another guest beat her to the punch, she wasn't headed in the ideal direction.

With midnight fast approaching, the two hosts decided that it was time to intervene. Miles led Holly J to the dance floor and Tristan did the same to Fiona but made sure to guide her at the opposite end.

"I give up, Tristan," Fiona grumbled. "There is no way that Holly J is ever going to see me as more as a friend."

"Don't worry, because it's New Year's Eve there's still one more trick in the playbook. It's only a 50% shot, though."

"Lay it on me. I'm grasping at straws."

On the other end of the dance floor, Miles was twirling Holly J and making her laugh.

"Thanks again for the great party!"

"No problem. So tell me, did any of my fabulous guests catch your eye?"

"Hate to burst your bubble, but I still see all the kids your age as babies."

"Then you're not looking hard enough."

"Huh?"

"Open your eyes, Holly J," he urged. "Or you won't see what's right in front of you."

With those words, he twirled her again but this time, he let go because Tristan was spinning Fiona at the same time and the girls ended up in each other's arms.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to finish the last dance of the year with my fiancé. But please, don't stop dancing on account of us."

The two girls looked at each and laughed. But Holly J grew quiet when she felt Fiona's arms tighten around her waist and when she placed her arms around the other girl's neck it felt like the most natural thing in the world. She took in the intoxicating smell of her perfume and marvelled over the softness of Fiona's skin when their cheeks gently brushed while they swayed to the music. Before she knew it, everyone around them was counting down to midnight.

When the crowd yelled "Happy New Year!", Fiona squeezed Holly J in a tight hug. She edged back for a beat and then leaned in forward to give her a kiss. Holly J hitched her breath and felt Fiona's lips land at the corner of the mouth with half on her cheek and half on her lips. When the broke apart, Holly J studied Fiona before placing a hand on her cheek and going in for a real kiss that was soft and full and tasted sweeter than any other kiss that she experienced. It was new and exciting, and above all it couldn't feel more right.

From across the room, Tristan didn't even bother to hide his glee as he clapped his hands and bounced on the spot.

"OMLG, we did it! We got them together!"

"Tristan."

"That New Year's kiss plan actually worked!"

"Tristan"

"I gotta tell you, I had my doubts but–"

"Tristan."

"Yeah?"

"What's a guy got to get a kiss?"

"Oops, sorry."

Without hesitating, he swiftly gathered Miles in his arms and dipped him until his lover was practically parallel with the floor. Miles grinned at him and wrapped his arms around Tristan's neck. Pleased that their matchmaking efforts were fruitful, the two shared a deep kiss to ring in the new year.


End file.
